Training aid for improving putting

ABSTRACT

A training aid for putting comprises a base adapted to assume the slope of the surface on which it is placed and a standard normal to the base and providing a line of ball travel sighting aid and a plurality of eye positioning sighting members spaced apart one above the other and projecting in the same direction from the standard and disposed so that there is room for a putter head to move under the lower sighting member along a line parallel with the line of ball travel sighting aid.

United States Patent Moriarty [is] 3,656,752 [451 Apr. 18,1972

1541 TRAINING AID FOR IMPROVING PUTTING [72] Inventor: Francis T. Moriarty, Norwalk, Conn.

[22] Filed: July 29, 1970 [21] Appl. No.: 59,175

[52] U.S. Cl ..273/183 E, 273/192 [51] Int. Cl. ..A63b 69/36 [58] Field of Search ..273/183, 186, 194, 188,189,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,365,259 l/1968 Heisman et a1. ..312/194 1,677,261 7/1928 Williams ....273/l83 E X 1,091,186 3/1914 Brown ..273/183 E X 2,670,209 2/1954 Fay ..273/ 194 A X 2,463,200 3/1949 Pitzer ..273/194 R FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 430,844 6/1935 Great Britain ..273/ 183 E Primary Examiner-George J. Marlo Attorney-John W. Hoag [5 7] ABSTRACT A training aid for putting comprises a base adapted to assume the slope of the surface on which it is placed and a standard.

normal to the base and providing a line of ball travel sighting aid and a plurality of eye positioning sighting members spaced apart one above the other and projecting in the same direction from the standard and disposed so that there is room for a putter head to move under the lower sighting member along a line parallel with the line of ball travel sighting aid.

3 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures PATENTEBAPR 1a 1912 INVENTOR.

i'mnif Marian/1g TRAINING AID FOR IMPROVING PUTTING FIELD OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to a golfers training device for improving putting.

Unlike the proper position or stance of a golfer when hitting a golf ball with other golf clubs, it is generally agreed that when putting a golfer should bend forward and place his eyes over the ball, in the vertical plane of the ball and looking down at the ball along a line which is normal to the portion of the putting surface on which the ball lies. Novice golfers have a tendency to stand too straight when putting and consequently look at the ball along a slanted line. Even experienced golfers, when their putting deteriorates, find that they are not getting their eyes directly over the ball and looking at the ball along a straight line passing through the ball and normal to the portion of the surface on which the ball lies. Failure of a player to properly position his eyes while putting results in failure to have the head of his putter properly positioned at the moment it strikes the ball. Instead of being parallel to the putting surface and normal to the line of travel desired for the ball the outer end of the putter head may be angled up and the face of the putter may be open or closed instead of normal to the desired line of travel.

An object of the invention is to provide a device by which a player in practice putting may train himself to properly position himself with his head directly above and properly aligned with the ball and with the head of his putter properly positioned at the point of impact with the ball to send the ball along the desired line of travel.

The invention will be best understood by reading the following description in connection with the drawings, in which FIG. 1 is a front elevation of an embodiment of the invention,

FIG. 2 is a side elevation of the device shown in FIG. I, and

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing the training device properly positioned with respect to a hole in the putting surface and illustrating how the sighting means and the line of reference means coact in properly positioning the putter head.

SUMMARY OF THE DESCRIPTION A device which can be positioned anywhere on a putting surface comprises a horizontal guide member adapted to provide a line of reference parallel to the desired line of travel between a golf ball and the hole, and an upright member from which two parallel sighting members extend one above the other at right angles to the upright in a direction away from the plane of the horizontal guide member. The sighting members project from the upright a distance such that when they are vertically aligned over the ball there will be room for the putter head to move under the lower sighting member along a line parallel with the horizontal guide member while disposed normal to the horizontal guide member.

DESCRIPTION In the illustrated embodiment of the invention the standard extends upwardly from a base 12 adapted to maintain the standard in upright position, and braces 14 are provided between 10 and 12 to strengthen the structure. Projecting horizontally in the same direction and for the same distances from upright 10 are the vertically spaced, parallel sighting members 16 and 18. Coacting with members 16 and 18 and also secured to the upright 10 is the member 20 which extends at right angles to the members 16 and 18.

The player positions the training device on the putting surface with member 20 extending in a line parallel to the line of travel desired for the ball, and with the sighting members disposed above the ball, as is illustrated in FIG. 3. When the player placed himself bending over the ball with his eyes aligned with the ball and the two sighting members 16 and 18 he will know that his eyes are properly positioned and looking down at the ball along a line normal to the portion of the puttin surface on which the ball lies and the training device is place But in addition to looking down correctly on the ball the player needs also to hold and swing his putter so that the head of the putter will strike the ball at the lowest point in the arc of its putting swing and disposed normal to the desired line of travel. With the players eyes properly positioned above the ball it will follow naturally that the putter head will be at the lowest point in its arc of movement when it strikes the ball, and the member 20 cooperates with the sighting members 16 and 18 by providing a line of reference which shows whether the head of the putter is normal to it and therefore also normal to the line of travel desired for the ball.

For ease in visually aligning the sighting members 16 and 18 with the ball without obstructing his view of, and concentration upon, the ball the sighting members desireably define openings through which the player may look down on his ball by centering the ball with the openings. As shown the sighting members are channel shaped with their free ends fastened to upright 10. The player looks down at the ball through the openings defined by the sighting members 16 and 18 and positions his eyes so that the centers of the openings are aligned with one another and with the ball.

Good results have been obtained with a device having a standard about 16 inches high, with the lower sighting member 16 about 3 inches above the putting surface, and the upper sighting member 18 about 12 inches above the lower sighting member 16. A member 20 about 1 foot long has been found to provide a very satisfactory line'of reference for the club head during its putting swing.

There has thus been provided a device in which the above mentioned object is accomplished in a very simple and practical way.

What I claims is:

1. A training device for putting comprising a golf ball putting surface, a base member on said putting surface and assuming the slope of the portion of the surface on which it is placed, a standard extending upwardly at a right angle to said base member and perpendicular to the portion of the surface on which the base rests, a plurality of eye positioning sighting members spaced apart one above the other and above the putting surface and projecting in the same direction from the standard, and a golf ball on said putting surface positioned in alignment with said sighting members, the distance between the lowermost sighting member and said putting surface being such as to permit a putter head to be moved under the lowermost sighting member and strike said golf ball.

2. The device claimed in claim 1 including a line of ball travel sighting aid disposed on the standard below the eye positioning sighting members extending laterally of the standard adjacent its lower end and parallel with the putting surface.

3. The device claimed in claim 2 in which the eye positioning sighting members extend outwardly from the standard to the same extent. 

1. A training device for putting comprising a golf ball putting surface, a base member on said putting surface and assuming the slope of the portion of the surface on which it is placed, a standard extending upwardly at a right angle to said base member and perpendicular to the portion of the surface on which the base rests, a plurality of eye positioning sighting members spaced apart one above the other and above the putting surface and projecting in the same direction from the standard, and a golf ball on said putting surface positioned in alignment with said sighting members, the distance between the lowermost sighting member and said putting surface being such as to permit a putter head to be moved under the lowermost sighting member and strike said golf ball.
 2. The device claimed in claim 1 including a line of ball travel sighting aid disposed on the standard below the eye positioning sighting members extending laterally of the standard adjacent its lower end and parallel with the putting surface.
 3. The device claimed in claim 2 in which the eye positioning sighting members extend outwardly from the standard to the same extent. 